On Monday 11 December NHS England launched an advertising campaign telling patients in London that 75,000 GP appointments are in the month spanning the Christmas period and to contact their practice to book an appointment with their GP or one nearby. This took the form of an advert covering the front and back of the Evening Standard and adverts running on the most prominent spots on the Evening Standard website’s homepage through the week, as part of a campaign across display boards, print, online and radio. Londonwide LMCs have pointed out that London general practice provides around 200,000 appointments each working day.
NHS England have now clarified that there are no extra obligations on practices as part of this advertising campaign and they should provide appointments to their patients and signpost to extended access hubs as normal.